Without Lily
by secretfanficlover
Summary: Severus is sitting in a cafe after leaving his son at home, and he is thinking back to when he and Lily had been together, and how she had died, leaving Harry the only reminder of her, sometimes a painful reminder. But he was still doing the best he could at being a single dad.


**This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

Word Count: 1560

Title: Without Lily

Note: For Verity Grahams- attempting Severitus. Harry loses his mother during childbirth, but Severus decides to hide out with Harry until the war is over. Merry Christmas my darling V! Love you lots

Warnings: Loss, mourning, death during childbirth.

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Golden Snitch

[Name] Crissie

[School] Uagadou

[House] Ogyinae

Doctor Who Day: Write about an impossible love story.

* * *

Hogwarts

Yearly:

Prompt 377 [AU] Single Parent

Seasonally:

Days of the year: 27th October: National Tell a Story Day: Write about a child hearing a bedtime story.

* * *

"I haven't seen you around here lately," the waiter said to Severus sitting at his regular table next to the window. Severus simply nodded in reply. He was deep in thought about something. He was wondering what to do for his son's eleventh birthday, he knew Harry would be getting his Hogwarts letter soon, and he wasn't sure what he would do once he was all along. Her emerald eyes that shone through their son was enough to keep him going. He wanted to do right by Harry; he knew it wasn't fair that he was so overprotective. He thought back to when they first got together, when they became more than just friends.

* * *

"_Hey, Lily," Severus said suddenly, sitting beside her in the Library. _

'_Yes, Sev?" she asked with a smile. _

"_I know Potter asked you to the dance as well, and you turned him down," he said slowly, his hands in his the name of his neck. _

"_That isn't a question," she said with a musical laugh. _

"_The question is, who are you waiting for to ask you?" he asked nervously._

"_I've been waiting for you, silly," she said, reaching for his hand. _

"_You have?" _

"_Of course, it's always been you."_

* * *

"_Will you marry me, Lily Evans?" Severus asked, down on one knee. They were surrounded by the most enchanting flower garden, which reminded them of the place they used to run away to when they were children. He was holding a purple amethyst ring, her favourite stone. She grinned at him lovingly, but before she said yes, he saw some struggle in her eyes._

"_Why now? Is it because of the war?" she asked, almost ruining the picturesque moment. _

"_I've always loved you, yes, the war just makes me want to wake up every day we have next to you, is that such a bad thing?" Severus admitted. She shook her head, and tears sprang to her eyes. _

"_No," she paused for a heartbeat and Severus felt his heart stop. "It's not a bad thing, Sev, of course I will marry you." She held out her hand, and he slipped the ring onto her small finger. _

_Then he got up, hugging her lovingly and spinning her around in the air. She laughed, but then when he put her down she felt dizzy. _

"_I'm sorry, Lil," Severus said, worried he went overboard._

"_I'm fine, Severus," she said gently._

* * *

_The wedding was a small, intimate affair. Severus was horrified James became his best man. All the Marauders were present at the wedding, despite how they acted as children, they had all grown up, and James realised he had no hard feelings about being rebuked by Lily. _

_It was at the wedding when Lily again became faint, so they decided to rush her to St Mungo's. She insisted she was fine, but the medi-witch took one look at her and said._

"_Mrs Snape," she stared. "Are you pregnant?" _

"_I don't believe so," she said, looking as Severus who was holding her hand, a look of worry on his face. She let out a soft laugh. "That wasn't how I imagined being called Mrs Snape for the first time." _

_He held onto her as she went through a few tests. _

"_Mrs Snape, you are with child," the medi-witch said. _

"_Oh no," she said, her other hand reaching for her stomach automatically._

"_I understand the timing isn't very good," the medi-witch continued. "But I'm afraid I have even worse news. You have Preeclampsia, it's a disease that causes a spike in blood pressure during the twentieth month, the pregnancy will be very high risk, and could have permanent damage to both the mother and the foetus, if they survive."_

_Both of them went pale at the news. "I will leave you both to talk." _

"_Sev," she started. _

"_No, I won't lose you," he said suddenly. As horrible as it was he wasn't going to lose his wife to have a child that might kill her._

"_This isn't just your choice, my love," she said softly. _

"_I will never be able to carry on without you," he said in reply._

"_We all die, Sev, this way our love will live on through this little one, even if I don't make it. When have you ever known me to be the type to just give up? I will fight till the end." _

"_If you die, how will I go on without you?" he asked seriously. "How will I take care of this child?"_

"_You will love him," she said simply._

* * *

Love him, Severus did, more than anything. He was planning a surprise party for his little Harry, and that was why he was sitting in the coffee shop alone. He had left Harry with Sirius when he went out. He didn't like leaving his son alone, but a single father needed some help, after all.

Severus sipped his black coffee, before leaving some knuts on the table and carrying on to the party shop. He got a bunch of helium filled balloons, he knew Harry loved those. Severus remembered the first time his son met Draco, and he told Severus what a pompous twit he was. Severus chuckled and told his son that Draco Malfoy was his own godson, and that they had better find a way to get along. He was walking around various shops in Hogsmeade, making sure he had every item on his list.

Severus realised how much his son was like him, but he had Lily's heart. He was kind, and brave, and Severus wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in Gryffindor, just like his mother.

"Eleven blue balloons," he said to the shop assistant.

"Of course, sir," the man replied with a cheerful smile.

"Little Harry's birthday is coming up, ain't it?" the man added while he worked.

"Yes," Severus said. His mind was on all the other things that needed to get done. "I'll come back later for those," he nodded in the direction of the balloons and went on with his mission.

Next item, the birthday cake. He wanted to celebrate his son's last birthday before Hogwarts. He knew the letter was coming; he had no doubt about it.

He went with an air balloon themed cake, made in the shape of an air balloon, he had always told Lily they would go flying in one, but after Harry's conception, they were too afraid to take any chances, and he knew he would take Harry instead. It was part of the elaborate birthday plan.

He walked into a watch shop, and he saw a small leather children's watch. It would be perfect as a gift for Harry. He had the lady wrap it in a small blue box, and carried on with his mission. This would be Harry's best birthday ever.

After he had gotten all the pieces together, he went back home to make sure everything was fine with Harry. Harry was running around the yard with Sirius in his animagus form, and Severus simply sighed in exasperation.

"Come on then son," Severus said, interrupting the frolicking.

"Dad, can't we play a little longer?"

"After you eat something, come on now," he said, spotting the dirt on his son's clothes he added. "And wash up before lunch."

"Hey Severus," Sirius said suddenly, transforming back into his human form.

"Yes?" Severus said, raising his eyebrows.

"I'll make lunch; don't you have one or two more errands?" Sirius asked.

"You sure?" Severus asked. It was quite nice of Harry's godfather to help out as much as he did.

"I'm positive," he said.

"Try not to burn the house down," Severus said, leaning down to hug Harry before starting off again.

"I make no promises," he heard Sirius said after him as he left. Severus just sighed. He knew Lily had made a special scrapbook for Harry, with pictures of her and Severus, as well as letters and poems. It was clear she knew near the end that she wouldn't make it through the birth. On the cover of the beautiful album it said: "What do stars do? They shine, Love Mother."

He hoped it wasn't too soon to give it to Harry, but she had made him promise. It would be her farewell gift to her son before he went to Hogwarts.

Tomorrow was the day, he had everything prepared, and he was so excited to show his son again just how much he loved him. He arrived just before Harry's bedtime, and was thankful to see that not only did Sirius not burn the house down, he also tidied up their mess, and made sure Harry had a bath before bed.

"Father," Harry said, poking his head down the stairs as Severus entered.

"Yes?" he asked, smiling at his son.

"I know Sirius says I'm too old for bedtime stories, but—" Severus stopped his son right there.

"Never let anyone tell you you are told old for stories," he insisted. Harry grinned.

"I would like to hear the one about the princess," Harry said, clambering back up the stairs and into his bed, Severus following behind him.

"Again?" Severus asked with a grin.

"It's my favourite," Harry said, pulling up the covers to his chin.

"Okay my boy," Severus said, and proceeded to tell Harry the story of Lily Evans, the woman he had always loved.


End file.
